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This page lists colleges that have cut tuition rates instead of increasing them. It also lists colleges that have implemented temporary tuition freezes and colleges that have implemented level tuition rates. (A level tuition rate freezes the tuition rate for continuing students, but increases it for each successive incoming class. Thus each student has the same tuition rate for all four years.)

Tuition Cuts

A handful of schools have cut their tuition rates instead of increasing them. The resulting publicity generates increases in enrollment which can compensate for the lost tuition revenue. In addition, such cuts are usually accompanied by cuts in financial aid. (Typically, colleges recycle approximately 25% of tuition revenue in the form of financial aid.) The cuts are one-time events, with the school returning to annual tuition increases in subsequent years.

For example, Bethany College of West Virginia cut its tuition in 2002-2003 by 42% from $20,650 to $12,000, thereby attracting 60% more freshmen and increasing total campus enrollment by 13% to 875 students. Financial aid was also cut by 43%.

For a school to pursue such a strategy, the tuition cut needs to be phased in gradually (i.e., it applies to new students only, with the old tuition rates being phased out as existing students graduate). The school must have significant excess capacity, be not very well known, and draw its student population primarily from a limited geographic region surrounding the school.

A key risk faced by colleges that slash tuition rates is the public perception that the tuition cut is accompanied by a reduction in institutional quality. This is partly due to the perception that higher priced institutions are somehow better. The risk can be mitigated through careful management of the publicity accompanying a rate cut.

The schools which have instituted such cuts include:

School	Year of Cut	Amount of Cut
Harrison College (Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, Online) Limited to 9 programs	Winter Term 2013	10.0%
Concordia University (St. Paul, MN)	2013-14	33.7% $10,000
Burlington College (Burlingon, VT)	Summer 2012	25%
Cabrini College (Radnor, PA)	2012-2013	12.5%
Lincoln College (Illinois)	2012-2013	24%
Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ) High achieving students only.	2012-2013	61%
University of Charleston	2012-2013	22%
William Peace University (Raleigh, NC)	2012-2013	7.7%
The University of the South (Sewanee)	2011-2012	10%
Penn Foster College	2009-2010	28%
Blackburn College	2008-2009	15%
South Dakota Colleges Just out-of-state tuition	2006-2007	50%
North Park University (IL)	2005-2006	30%
Eureka College (IL)	2004-2005	30%
Abilene Christian University (TX) Just the Department of Education's Educational Administration Master's Program	2003-2004	50%
Albertson College (ID)	2003-2004	30%
Westminster College (MO)	2003-2004	20%
Heidelberg College (OH)	2002-2003	28%
Bethany College (WV)	2002-2003	42%
University of Virginia (VA)	1999-2000	20%
College of William & Mary (VA)	1999-2000	20%
Marlboro College (VT)	1999-2000	8%
Wells College (NY)	1999-2000	30%
Bluefield College (VA)	1998-1999	24%
Pine Manor College (MA)	1998-1999	34%
Sheldon Jackson College (AK)	1998-1999	42%
Thiel College (PA)	1998-1999	27%
Muskingum College (OH)	1996-1997	29%
North Carolina Wesleyan College (NC)	1996-1997	23%
Waldorf College (IA)	1987-1988	30%

Duquesne University cut tuition and fees in half for new freshmen enrolling in the school of education in fall 2012. The discount will continue for the four years of the program.

Tuition Freezes

Other schools have instituted tuition freezes. In addition to colleges who do not increase their tuition rates for one or more years, there are also colleges who lock in a student's tuition rates for all four years but do increase rates for each successive incoming class. In general, tuition freezes are more common among community colleges and public colleges than among private four year colleges. Usually a tuition freeze requires continuous full-time enrollment. If the student takes a leave of absence or drops below full-time, their tuition relocks at the rate then in effect.

Note that some colleges work around state-mandated tuition freezes by instituting fee increases.

Examples of temporary tuition freezes include (sorted alphabetically):

• AIB College of Business (Des Moines) for 2008-2009.
• Albany Law School of Union University for 2009-2010.
• Alderson Broaddus College (Philippi, WV) for 2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.
• Ancilla College (Donaldson, IN) for 2012-2013.
• Arkansas State University for 2009-2010.
• Ava Maria Law School for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
• Becker College (MA) for 2009-2010.
• Benedictine University (Lisle, IL) for 2009-2010 (and for 2010-2011 for freshmen entering 2009-2010).
• Bennington College in 1996.
• British Columbia, Canada. Tuition rates at public colleges in British Columbia, Canada, were frozen by the government from 1995 through 2002.
• Brookdale Community College (NJ) for 2011-2012.
• Burlington College (Burlington, VT) for 2012-2013 with a four-year lock.
• Capitol College (Laurel, Maryland) for 2008-2009.
• Central Oregon Community College for 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.
• Cincinnati Christian University for graduate students for 2009-2010.
• Cincinnati State Technical and Community College for 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.
• Clark State Community College for 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.
• College of New Rochelle in New York in 1996.
• Colleges in Nova Scotia, Canada, for 2008-2009 through 2010-2011 (three years).
• Columbus State Community College for 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
• Community colleges in Essex, Hudson, Union and Warren counties in New Jersey for 2004-2005.
• Culver Stockton College (Canton, MO) for 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
• Dutchess Community College for 2010-2011.
• Eastern Michigan University for 2010-2011. No increase in tuition, fees, room and board.
• Elgin Community College for 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011
• Flathead Valley Community College for in-district students for 2009-2010.
• Franklin Pierce University for 2010-2011 and 2012-2013.
• Freed-Hardeman University for 2007-2008.
• Goodwin College (East Hartford, CT) for 2012-2013.
• Grand Canyon University, Camelback Road campus, for 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012.
• Guilford College in North Carolina in 1996.
• Hardin-Simmons University (Abilene, TX) for 2012-2013 for the incoming freshman class only, with a lock.
• Harrisburg University for 2013-2014.
• Hiram College for 2006-2007, 2010-2011.
• Houghton College for 1998.
• Ivy Tech State College in Indianapolis froze tuition for 2001-2002.
• Ivy Tech Community College for veterans, members of the National Guard and state government employees for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
• Johnson C. Smith University for 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. (Last time was in 1974-1975.)
• Kansas Board of Regents for Kansas residents for 2009-2010.
• Kansas Wesleyan University for 1998.
• Langston University for 2009-2010.
• Liberty University Online for 2009-2010.
• Lincoln Memorial University (Harrogate, TN) for 2009-2010.
• Maine Community Colleges for 1999-2000, 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2010-2011.
• Marlboro College in Vermont from 1998 to 2002.
• McNally Smith College of Music (St. Paul, MN) for 2011-2012 (for year-round students only)
• Memorial University for 1999-2000, 2000-2001, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011.
• Merrimack College (North Andover, MA) for 2009-2010.
• Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, NY) for 2013-2014.
• Mils College in California from 1993 through 1995.
• Minneapolis College of Art and Design for 2010-2011.
• Missouri 2-year and 4-year Public Colleges for 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.
• Montana 2-year college of technology schools for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
• Montreat College for 2012-2013.
• Mount Holyoke College for 2012-2013.
• New Brunswick, Canada, for 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. (New Brunswick community colleges since 2006-2007.)
• New Hampshire Community Colleges for 2008-2009. (Seven community colleges, with campuses in Concord, Laconia, Littleton, Manchester, Nashua, Claremont, Berlin, Keene, Woodsville, Stratham, Conway and Portsmouth.)
• Northeastern State University (Oklahoma) for 2009-2010.
• Nova Scotia Community College for 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.
• Oakland City University for 2009-2010.
• Oak Hills Christian College (Bemidji, MN) for 2012-2013.
• Ocean County College for 2009-2010.
• Ohio State University for state residents for 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.
• Oklahoma City Community College for 2009-2010.
• Oklahoma State University for 2009-2010.
• Oklahoma University for 2010-2011 (but with fee increases).
• Ontario, Canada government for all Ontario colleges for 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.
• Oregon public colleges from 1997 to 1999.
• Princeton University for 2007-2008.
• Rocky Mountain College (Calgary, Canada) for 2006-2007.
• Rogert Williams University (Bristol, RI) for 2013-2014.
• Russell Sage College (Troy, NY) for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
• Sage College (Albany, NY) for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
• Seminole State College for 2009-2010.
• Siena Heights University (Lansing, MI) for 2008-2009.
• Southern Illinois University for 2010-2011.
• Southern New Hampshire University for 2010-2011.
• Southern State Community College for 2010-2011.
• State University of New York and the City University of New York, did not increase tuition rates from 1995 through 2002.
• Tabor University (Wichita, KS) for 2012-2013.
• Texas Tech University for 2008-2009.
• Thomas Aquinas College for 2010-2011.
• Thomas College (Waterville, ME) for 2012-2013.
• Three Rivers Community College for 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.
• University of Akron (OH) for 2009-2010.
• University of Central Oklahoma for 2009-2010.
• University of Maryland system for 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. (Just tuition for in-state undergraduate students. Tuition for out-of-state and graduate students will still increase, as will fees for all students.)
• University of Missouri for 2010-2011.
• University of North Carolina for 2003-2004.
• University of North Texas at Dallas for 2008-2009.
• University of Oklahoma for 2009-2010.
• University of Toledo for 2009-2010.
• University of Tulsa from 1996 through 1998.
• University of Wisconsin, for students with family income under $60,000, for 2009-2010. Also, all two-year colleges in the University of Wisconsin system for 2007-2008 through 2010-2011.
• Urbana University for 2012-2013 (includes room and board in addition to tuition).
• Virginia Wesleyan College for 1998.
• West Virginia Public Community and Technical Colleges including West Virginia University for 2010-2011 (in-state undergraduate students only).
• West Virginia Wesleyan College for 2006-2007 and 2009-2010.
• Westminster College for 2012-2013.
• Wheeling Jesuit University for 2009-2010.
• William Jessup University for 2010-2011.
• Williams College in Massachusetts froze tuition for 2000-2001.
• Wilson College (Chambersburg, PA) for 2012-2013.
• Wright State University (Ohio) for 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.
• York University (Canada) for 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 for some graduate programs.

Level Tuition Rates

Examples of level tuition rates (also known as tuition locks, tuition guarantees, guaranteed tuition rates, guaranteed tuition plans, stable tuition, block tuition, and fixed tuition rates) include:

• University of Dayton (Ohio), starting in 2013-14, for up to four years. The university will be locking in the net tuition (tuition minus gift aid), as opposed to just tuition, which should yield more predictability for families.
• Rogert Williams University (Bristol, RI), starting in 2013-14, for up to four years.
• Indiana University, starting in 2013-14, for juniors and seniors who are on track to graduate in four years.
• University of Phoenix for 2012-13 for up to 5-9 years, depending on degree level.
• Burlington College for incoming and returning students in 2012-2013 for four years.
• Roosevelt University (Chicago, IL) starting in 2012-2013 for four years.
• University of the South (Sewanee) for freshmen entering in 2012-2013. Followed a 10% tuition cut in 2011-2012.
• Holy Cross College at Notre Dame, Indiana. (Started 2010-2011.) Tuition remains fixed for students continuously enrolled in a four-year degree program until they graduate.
• Harrison College (Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, Online), starting in 2007-08.
• University of Texas at Dallas. (Started 2007-2008.) Tuition rates fixed for four years for new students. The tuition guarantee also applies to students enrolling in participating two-year schools.
• University of Texas at El Paso. (Started 2007-2008.) Tuition rates are fixed for for years for new students.
• Georgia public research colleges. (Started 2006-2007.) Tuition rates fixed for four years for new students.
• Central Michigan University. (2005-2006 through 2007-2008.) Tuition, fees, room and board are locked in for up to five years for new and transfer undergraduate students.
• Oklahoma City University for 2006-2007. Students may elect to pay a fixed tuition rate for all four years. The amount paid during the freshman year is higher than normal tuition rates, but then is not subject to annual inflationary adjustments.
• Merrimack College (MA) for 2006-2007.
• Henry Ford Community College. Rebates tuition increases for students who graduate within four years.
• Berkeley College in New York and New Jersey. Tuition is frozen at the rate in effect during their initial enrollment, so long as they maintain continuous full-time student status. If the student falls below full-time and later return to full-time status, the tuition rate relocks at the rate then in effect. (Started 1975-1976.)
• Pace University in New York. Locks in freshman tuition rate for up to five years. (Started 2003-2004.)
• Mesa State College for students who maintain a 3.2 GPA by the end of their freshman year. (Started 1993-1994.)
• Illinois public colleges. Locks in tuition rates for students for four or five years, depending on major. (Takes effect starting in 2004-2005.) Western Illinois University has had an undergraduate tuition guarantee in effect since 1999-2000 and a graduate tuition guarantee since 2004-2005. Other states, including Indiana, Iowa and Missouri, are considering similar initiatives.
• Hiram College in Ohio. Locks in freshman tuition rate for four years. (Started 2004-2005.)
• George Washington University. Locks in freshman tuition rate for up to five years, and guarantees that institutional aid will not decrease. (Started 2004-2005.)
• Lake Erie College. Locks in freshman tuition rate for up to five years. (Started 2004-2005.)
• Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Flat-rate pricing for tuition for four years. (Started 1997-1998.)
• Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois. Locks in freshman tuition rate for five years.
• Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Locks in the undergraduate and graduate tuition rate for as long as the student is making satisfactory progress toward a degree. Since 1992-1993.
• Capitol College (Laurel, Maryland) since 2000.
• Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts. Locks in freshman tuition rate starting with the class of 2005.
• Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Locks in freshman tuition rate and room and board for up to eight semesters. (Started 2000-2001.)
• University of Charleston in Charleston, West Virginia. Locks in freshman tuition rate for four years.
• Urbana University in Urbana, Ohio. Locks in freshman tuition rate for four years.
• Alaska Pacific University. Locks in freshman tuition rate for up to five years. (Started 2001-2002.)
• Cleary College. Locks in tuition for undergraduate and graduate students. (Started 2001-2002.)
• Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport, Louisiana. Flat fee tuition rate since 2001-2002.
• Florida Christian College in Kissimmee, Florida. Locks in freshman tuition rate for up to five years. (Started 2004-2005.)
• University of Minnesota. The Guaranteed Tuition Plan allows incoming freshmen to pay a fixed tuition rate for up to five years. The fixed rate is initially higher than regular tuition rates. (Started 2004-2005.)
• Vanderbilt University. Locks in freshman tuition rate for up to four years. (Started 2004-2005.)
• Lackawanna College. (Started 2004-2005.)
• Niagara University. The Level Tuition Plan allows incoming freshmen to pay a fixed tuition rate for up to four years. The fixed rate is initially higher than regular tuition rates. (Started 2004-2005.)
• The Franciscan University, Iowa. Locks in freshman tuition rate for up to four years. (Started 2004-2005.)
• Florida public colleges. The Florida Board of Governors is requiring all schools to provide a fixed four-year tuition rate for up to 30 credits per year. (Started 2005-2006.)

Huntington University had a variation on a level tuition plan, where families could pay a one-time non-refundable fee of 10% of the current tuition and lock in current tuition rates for all four years. The Huntington Plan was in effect from the early 1990s, but ended in 2006 when the university took other measures to contain costs (e.g., below average annual tuition increases of 0% to 3%), thereby making the plan less attractive to families.

In addition, there are a variety of more unusual tuition freezes:

• Students applying early decision at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, are guaranteed the same amount of grant aid for all four years.
• Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri allows parents to lock in up to four years of tuition and room and board at the freshman year rate by financing it over a ten year term.
• Rice University guarantees that tuition for continuing students will not exceed the rate of inflation.
• Seton Hall University in New Jersey reduced tuition for high-achieving students enrolling directly from high school (transfer students and graduate students are excluded) to the same tuition rate as the Rutgers in-state tuition rate for 2012-2013. Students must have a minimum 27 ACT composite score or combined 1200 on the critical reading and math sections of the SAT and be in the top 10% of their high school class. The tuition rate will remain the same for four years if the student maintains full-time enrollment (completing 24 or more credits a year) and maintains a 3.0 or higher GPA. In effect, this program is similar to merit-based institutional aid, as opposed to an across-the-board tuition cut or level tuition rate.

A related phenomenom is colleges eliminating loans from the financial aid packages of low income students. A handful of colleges offer free tuition to their undergraduate students.